In a typical operating environment for a test and measurement instrument, the instrument is located relatively close to the user's device under test (DUT). For example, the instrument—such as one of the Keithley Model 2450 SourceMeter® Source Measure Units (SMUs) manufactured and sold by Tektronix, Inc.—may be placed on the same test bench as the user's DUT, and physically connected to the DUT by relatively short cables.
However, in other environments, a user may require the test and measurement instrument to be physically located relatively far away from the DUT. The user may require a significant distance between the instrument and the DUT because the instrument is too large, bulky, or heavy to be physically located near the DUT. Or, this requirement may arise because the operating environment of the DUT precludes placing the instrument nearby; for example, if the DUT is located in a temperature or humidity chamber, in a clean room, or in an electromagnetic interference (EMI) isolation chamber. In these environments, the instrument is typically connected to the DUT via relatively long cables.
To assist the user in making the proper cable connections between the test and measurement instrument and the DUT, the instrument typically contains static labels, often on the instrument's front panel, with names for its input connections. The instrument's labeling may also show a representation of a simplified circuit diagram so the user can understand what connections must be made between the instrument and the DUT in order to perform the user's desired measurement. For environments in which the instrument and the DUT are located in close proximity, these static labels are often sufficient for the user to properly connect a DUT and to operate the instrument. However, for environments in which the instrument and DUT are separated by a significant distance, the user may not even be able to see the instrument. Therefore, in these situations, making the proper cable connections, and troubleshooting those connections, is challenging. Furthermore, to perform some complicated measurements, cable connections may need to be changed during the measurement process, which is difficult, time-consuming, and prone to error in cases where the user does not have physical access to the test and measurement instrument.
Embodiments of the invention address these and other limitations of the prior art.